Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
 |
New Vision (Kampala) - December 2, 2003
Richard Komakech and Tim Cocks
Muhwezi said this will make Uganda the second country in Africa after Botswana to give free ARV drugs to its peoplE.
But the minister hinted that orphans, pregnant mothers and researchers would take precedence, and other groups will be included with time.
"Much depends on the prices of the drugs. We are initially giving these drugs to orphans and pregnant women so that we can stop transmission to their babies.
"Eventually, more people will be given the drugs as their prices continue to come down. Not long ago, treatments for one month cost $500.
"Now it is $27.50," Muhwezi said. Four weeks ago, Uganda got its request for $66m for AIDS treatment and care approved by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
Muhwezi said Uganda had already procured $6m from the United States and was expecting more under President Bush's pledge of $15b to 12 African countries to combat the disease.
He said that it was not clear whether the money from the US would be used to buy generic drugs or whether the administration would insist on buying patented drugs from the big brands, which are twenty times more expensive.
Before the 2001 Doha Declaration, the Bush administration had lobbied hard to prevent poor countries having access to cheap, generic copies of ARVs.
Uganda has an estimated 150,000 people in need of ARV drugs.
031202
NV031203
Copyright © 2003 - The New Vision. All articles are republished on AEGIS by permission. Material may not be redistributed, posted to any other location, published or used for broadcast without written authorization from Managing Director/Editor-in-chief, The New Vision, P.O. Box 9815, Kampala - Uganda, Tel/fax: 256-41-235221, E-mail: wpike@newvision.co.ug.
AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, iMetrikus, Inc., John M. Lloyd Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2003. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2003. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .